


The Price That Is Paid

by LadyBrooke



Series: The Gil-galad Dinner Party [1]
Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: A Gil-galad Origin Story, Bargaining, Canonical Character Death, Eggpreg, Family Secrets, Other, mentions of maternal death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:56:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23624230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyBrooke/pseuds/LadyBrooke
Summary: There is a cost for any favors the eagles grant elves.Caranthir has more questions than he has answers, but Fingon seems determined to fulfill the bargain he made in the wake of Fingolfin's death.
Series: The Gil-galad Dinner Party [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1704745
Comments: 7
Kudos: 39
Collections: Easter Eggpreg Event





	The Price That Is Paid

If anyone had told Caranthir that this would be the result of bringing his family's condolences to their new King, he liked to think he would have refused to be the one to come just so that he would not now be in this position. 

He knew, however, that he would not have. None of them, not even Celegorm and Curufin in their plots, could have done anything except feel pity for Fingon.

"There is a price to pay for an eagle's help," Fingon said, determined even as he looked almost as mad as Fëanor had in those last few years. Caranthir imagined Fingolfin had looked the same on his last ride. "And I wished my father taken to safety, out of Morgoth's hands, even if he was only a body by that point and safety meant my brother's city."

That only raised more questions. Questions Caranthir could not be sure if he really wanted the answers to, about what the price had been for Maedhros' rescue and if Fingon had known about it beforehand. Questions about if Maedhros knew - because on the one hand, surely Maedhros did not know, or he would be the one here for Fingon. On the other hand, guilt had ruled Maedhros for centuries now. If Maedhros knew, it was quite possible he would not come out of the guilt that this had happened. 

Caranthir shook his head, looking at Fingon's swollen stomach. "So you keep this egg safe, and then what?"

“It depends. If the egg results in an elven child - or a mostly elven child, at least, like Thingol's daughter - then I will keep them and raise them as my heir." Fingon did not mention any other possibilities. 

Caranthir once again did not ask any of the questions that Fingon's words gave rise to, even if he was fairly certain that Melian was not a bird and therefore he was not quite sure of the relevance of Luthien to this conversation. Fingon's great-uncle was Ingwë, after all, and it was entirely possible he knew something about the eagles that Caranthir and his brothers did not, as disturbing a possibility as it was. 

"Very well," Caranthir said. "If your and Thorondor's egg results in a mostly elven child, we will pass them off as your heir. They can hardly be harder to believe as an elf than Celegorm is." 

Fingon laughed, some of the madness leaving his eyes. Good. Good. Whether Maedhros had known or Maedhros had no idea, Caranthir could not return to his brother and tell him that Fingon had been taken by the same fickle sanity that had taken both Fëanor and Fingolfin. "Celegorm is not that bad."

"You wait, soon enough Finrod shall be sending you messages about how one one of my brothers has not bathed in weeks while on the hunt, the other has not been seen out of the forge in months, and my nephew is pleasantly charming but also the most shockingly naive elf on the continent. A wild boar would be a better heir than either of the first too." Caranthir shrugged 

Fingon smiled. If it was not for the bulge in his stomach, and the terrifying hints still lurking in his eyes, Caranthir would almost have been able to believe they were back in Valinor. "Your nephew - will he be offended to no longer be the only male child of a male of our generation?"

"Celebrimbor was removed from the line of Kings when Maedhros gave up the crown," Caranthir said immediately. 

"We both know Curufin has been making hints for years that with only Turgon and Orodreth having children, and they daughters, it would make sense to place Celebrimbor back in the line as an assurance in case of the worst," Fingon said just as quickly. 

Well, it was entirely Curufin's fault for not being sneaky enough. "Celebrimbor will be relieved. He wants his crafting, not a crown." Caranthir paused for a moment. "He was there when our grandfather died. I think he views the crown as a curse."

"Is it not?" 

Caranthir considered the possibility that this strange mood was all the fault of the egg. Perhaps, but far more likely it was their blood showing. "I have never worn it, but it seems a strange wish to have a child to keep something you view as cursed."

"He will be one of Manwë's favored, perhaps he shall meet a better end than we will." Fingon's voice was heavy with doom. 

"Your end better not be in your bed in a few months time." Caranthir met Fingon's eyes, searching for a promise he was not sure he would receive. 

"Míriel's fate shall not be mine," Fingon agreed. "But neither of us can hope to outrun our doom forever."

"Nay, we cannot," Caranthir said. 

"I wish my son - if this egg results in one," Fingon added 

Caranthir was sure that was simply an effort to disguise some previously granted knowledge. He rolled his eyes. "Let us both pretend I am unaware Manwë has granted you knowledge of such, or however you have gained such certainty as to make plans enough to ask me if my nephew will be offended," he said. 

Fingon nodded. "I wish my son to live past this Age. The same for Celebrimbor. If he was tasked with tutoring my son, would he agree?"

Caranthir closed his eyes. It would give Celebrimbor a task he would excel at. It would also give him a reason to play no role in the oath, or any battles. "Send your request to him, and a letter to Maedhros so that Curufin will not interfere. Then he will."

Fingon smiled again. Perhaps that had been of some comfort to him. 

Perhaps he had some knowledge Caranthir still did not, and Caranthir had chosen the path that would keep one of his family members alive at the end of all this. 

"Perhaps I shall call him Ereinion," Fingon said. 

Caranthir groaned. "I shall pretend that is an allusion to you, your father, and grandfather only, and not a horrible joking allusion to the other father being the King of the Eagles."

Fingon laughed then, bright and clear in the room, as a hawk swept past the window. "A fine joke that only we shall know of."

Caranthir dared not think of how Fingon intended to keep such a secret. "Of course."

"Thank you," Fingon said after a moment.

Caranthir only nodded in return, looking once more at Fingon's stomach and imaging what would come.


End file.
